Diploma in First Aid and Medical Care on Board
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in first aid and medical care on board. 8 modules covering the STCW and MLC framework, ship medical organisation, primary assessment, trauma and emergencies, medical illness at sea, medical chest and medicines, radio medical advice and medical evacuation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the STCW and MLC requirements for medical first aid and medical care on board.
Carry out primary and secondary assessment of casualties at sea.
Manage trauma, medical emergencies and illness with the resources available on board.
Control the medical chest, medicines and medical records of a vessel.
Prepare and conduct radio medical consultations with telemedical services.
Plan and coordinate medical evacuations with rescue centres.
Lead the medical response to an incident on board from onset to handover.
Who it's for
- Deck and engine officers responsible for medical care on board.
- Masters and chief mates preparing to manage medical incidents at sea.
- Crew members designated as medical first aiders.
- Yacht crew and offshore personnel working far from shore medical services.
- Ship managers and HSE staff in charge of shipboard medical procedures.
- Nurses and paramedics moving into maritime environments.
- Graduates looking to enter maritime operations with a medical care focus.
What you'll work with
- STCW Code Table A-VI/4-1 and A-VI/4-2 (medical first aid and medical care competences)
- Maritime Labour Convention 2006, Regulation 4.1 (medical care on board and ashore)
- Council Directive 92/29/EEC (minimum medical supplies on board vessels)
- WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (3rd ed.) (shipboard medical reference)
- IMO/ILO/WHO Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG) (dangerous goods accidents)
- International Code of Signals (medical section) (medical communication)
- IAMSAR Manual Vol. III (mobile facilities in search and rescue)
- ERC/AHA resuscitation guidelines (basic and advanced life support)
- WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (digital edition)
- Ship's medical log templates
- Telemedicine reporting forms
- Microsoft Excel
8 modules
1.1Particularities of medical care on board1.2Roles of the master, medical officer and first aiders1.3Human body systems relevant to first aid1.4Vital signs and their interpretation1.5Infection control and hygiene on board1.6Psychological aspects of emergencies at sea1.7Legal duties and documentation1.8Medical log and confidentiality1.9Typical medical incidents by vessel type1.10Exercise: initial medical assessment of a case
2.1STCW medical competences (A-VI/4-1 and A-VI/4-2)2.2MLC 2006 Regulation 4.1 requirements2.3Directive 92/29/EEC ship categories and medical chests2.4Flag state requirements and inspections2.5Medical certificates for seafarers2.6Medical care for passengers on board2.7Port state control and medical provisions2.8Responsibilities of shipowners and managers2.9Records, audits and medical stores control2.10Exercise: compliance checklist for a vessel
3.1Scene safety and approach to the casualty3.2ABCDE primary survey3.3Airway management and choking3.4Basic life support and CPR3.5Use of automated external defibrillators3.6Recovery position and monitoring3.7Shock recognition and management3.8Oxygen administration on board3.9Secondary survey and history taking3.10Exercise: emergency response scenario
4.1Mechanisms of injury in maritime work4.2Bleeding control and wound care4.3Fractures, dislocations and immobilisation4.4Head, spinal and chest injuries4.5Burns, scalds and electrical injuries4.6Crush injuries and falls from height4.7Eye injuries4.8Pain management4.9Casualty handling and transport in confined spaces4.10Exercise: trauma case management
5.1Chest pain and cardiac emergencies5.2Stroke and neurological emergencies5.3Respiratory emergencies5.4Abdominal pain and acute conditions5.5Diabetes and metabolic emergencies5.6Hypothermia, heat illness and drowning5.7Infectious diseases and outbreak control5.8Poisoning and exposure to dangerous goods (MFAG)5.9Mental health crises on board5.10Exercise: medical illness case
6.1Content of the medical chest by category6.2Storage, expiry and inventory control6.3Controlled drugs and their documentation6.4Administration routes and dosage calculation6.5Injections and intravenous access principles6.6Suturing and minor procedures principles6.7Urinary catheterisation principles6.8Care of the sick and injured over several days6.9Death at sea: procedures and records6.10Exercise: medical chest audit
7.1Telemedical Assistance Services (TMAS)7.2Preparing a radio medical consultation7.3Structured reporting of the patient condition7.4Using photographs and vital-sign data7.5Following and documenting medical advice7.6Communication protocols and language7.7Data protection in telemedicine7.8Fleet medical support providers7.9Limits of telemedical care7.10Exercise: radio medical consultation
8.1Decision criteria for diversion or evacuation8.2Helicopter evacuation procedures and winching8.3Transfer to another vessel or shore8.4IAMSAR coordination with rescue centres8.5Preparing the patient and documentation for handover8.6Planning the integrative case and deliverables8.7Developing the case with tutor guidance8.8Review of decisions and critical analysis8.9Debriefing and peer review8.10Final project: management of a medical incident from onset to handover
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the reference standards and applied exercises. The working software is WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (digital edition), Ship's medical log templates, Telemedicine reporting forms and Microsoft Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practice is based on realistic case scenarios, medical chest inventories, radio medical consultation scripts and evacuation planning exercises. Hands-on skills such as CPR must be completed in an approved practical course; this programme covers the theory and decision-making. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Standards covered: STCW Code Table A-VI/4-1 and A-VI/4-2, Maritime Labour Convention 2006, Regulation 4.1, Council Directive 92/29/EEC, WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (3rd ed.), IMO/ILO/WHO Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG), International Code of Signals (medical section), IAMSAR Manual Vol. III, ERC/AHA resuscitation guidelines.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (digital edition), Ship's medical log templates, Telemedicine reporting forms and Microsoft Excel, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree is required), a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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